When the Top Chef Transmigrated into a Scum Alpha (GL) - Chapter 12

“Favorability up. Energy fluctuation detected. System has officially awakened.”

The abrupt mechanical voice startled Shang Wumian out of her drowsy state.

Who was speaking? Energy fluctuation, system?

“System 321, sincerely at your service.”

The source of the voice was inside her mind, and that made Shang Wumian wake up completely.

So the faint voice that had sounded beside her ear back then had not been an illusion.

“Host, please forgive my late arrival. Because the Child of the World’s favorability toward you was too low, I was unable to obtain energy for a long time, so I was only truly awakened now.”

In this book world, having a system might be a good thing, or it might be a bad thing.

Shang Wumian had always been cautious, so after patiently listening to the system chatter on and on for a while, she instead raised her own question.

“You said you would assist me in returning to my original world. Then what do you need me to do?”

Seeing that Shang Wumian’s ability to accept things was this strong, the system could not help feeling somewhat gratified, as if it had already seen itself successfully repairing the small world and reaching the peak of system life.

“I need the host’s abilities to repair this world…”

321 explained things to Shang Wumian in detail. In truth, every book written by an author could be viewed as a small world in a parallel universe.

And across three thousand worlds, joy and sorrow, partings and reunions, in a certain sense, all truly existed.

The novel Shang Wumian had been following had been hurriedly abandoned because of the author’s personal reasons.

This broke the operating laws of the small world, resulting in Lin Qingwan, the female lead who should have enjoyed all the world’s fortune, dying.

And the development of the small world afterward was even more of a complete mess.

The birth of systems was one method of maintaining the balance of small worlds.

In the unseen workings of fate, System 321 had chosen Shang Wumian as its host to change the dead end that had once awaited the female lead, Lin Qingwan.

“After testing and certification, Host, you are the most suitable person to bind with. That is why I…”

Shang Wumian did not ask the system why it had chosen her. After she believed 321’s explanation, she also found it easy to accept that the small world had its own self-generated way of operating.

“So, in my original world, I’m currently facing the danger of dying in a plane crash?”

“Yes. But after I bound myself to the host, it was equivalent to pausing the time dimension you were in. Once the host completes the task of repairing the small world, I’ll be able to let you return to the original world. With my energy, I can prevent that flight from falling out of the sky.”

Shang Wumian sorted out the meaning of this so-called “binding.” In truth, it was a mutual salvation between her and Lin Qingwan.

If Lin Qingwan lived, she lived. If Lin Qingwan died, she likewise would not survive.

Shang Wumian had no reason not to seek survival, so she would do her best to complete this transaction with 321.

However… directly conversing with a system inside her mind felt rather novel to Shang Wumian.

Thinking this, Shang Wumian also communicated it to 321. “The voices of you systems are pretty special.”

After 321 heard this, in line with the principle of serving its host, it took the initiative to explain. “Actually, I still have many modes available to choose from.”

She could choose? Was it this user-friendly?

Shang Wumian could not help becoming a little interested. “…For example?”

“Hi. Everybody! I’m MC 321, making a sexy sound~”

“The 8484848…”

“Arigato, Mian-yang-yang-san!”

Give the system one showtime, and the system would give you one let yourself go.

Shang Wumian began to deeply understand this. She only felt as if a dance hall had opened inside her head, noisy to an unbearable degree.

“Stop, stop. Don’t disco inside my brain!”

“Do you systems not have any normal conversation modes to choose from?”

321 still seemed reluctant to stop. It smacked its lips and answered, “Yes. There’s a gentle and easygoing style. I don’t know if that is what the host wants.”

Shang Wumian unconsciously let out a breath of relief. “Let me hear it.”

321 rallied and immediately switched to gentle mode.

“Upon reflection, this one is truly terribly sorry. Because 321 arrived somewhat late, it delayed the host in completing her task…”

“To be able to repair the small world together with such an outstanding host, one supposes it must surely be exceedingly wonderful…”

So this was the gentle mode 321 had mentioned. It was indeed “extraordinary.”

The corner of Shang Wumian’s eye could not help twitching slightly. “Your Ladyship had better withdraw this divine power. Hearing someone speak to me like this only makes me feel chest tightness and shortness of breath.”

She rubbed her forehead and ultimately made a decision. “You should just communicate with me the way you did at the beginning.”

The system paused, then probed, “Is it this one? I’m MC 321, making a sexy—”

Shang Wumian said nothing.

If 321 were anthropomorphized, it would definitely be a chaos-loving jokester. Appraisal complete.

Meanwhile, 321 was still chattering on. Right, I forgot to tell the host.

The female lead is the Child of the World. Host, if you can obtain more favorability from her, you’ll be able to provide me with energy.

More energy means more permissions. I’ll be able to unlock…

As 321 spoke, it suddenly fell silent.

Shang Wumian had already been very tired. When she had been drowsy earlier, she had been forcibly awakened by this unexpected incident with 321, and now she had unconsciously fallen asleep.

Seeing that the host’s breathing was light and shallow, and that she was sleeping rather deeply, 321 also smoothly entered hibernation in order to conserve its hard-earned energy.

【The fields at home needed to be tilled, but Shang Wumian refused to go out with all sorts of excuses.

Lin Qingwan had no choice but to pick up the hoe and go till the soil herself.

When Shang Wumian saw Lin Qingwan leave, she immediately slipped out to find those disreputable friends of hers to play.

The sky had already grown late, yet Shang Wumian still had not returned. Lin Qingwan coaxed Ah Fu back to her room to sleep first and decided to go out to look for her.

She had only just stepped out the door when she saw Shang Wumian walking back by herself, swaying unsteadily, clearly drunk.

The moment the other party approached, Lin Qingwan could not help frowning.

The smells on Shang Wumian were far too unpleasant. Among them, there was not only the smell of alcohol, but also…

“Where did you go for half the day?” Lin Qingwan’s voice was very cold.

On Shang Wumian’s body was another Kunze’s pheromone scent, a rich grassy fragrance.

Ordinarily, even if a Qianyuan and a Kunze stood very close together, the scent would not cling so strongly.

Who exactly had Shang Wumian been with, and what had she done?

When Shang Wumian sobered up the next day, she naturally racked her brains for all sorts of excuses to muddle through.

Lin Qingwan suddenly felt disgusted and had no interest in asking about the source of that pheromone scent. She only asked, “When exactly do you plan to find some work? Ah Fu needs to study. The school’s tuition for next month has to be paid.”

That Qianyuan, however, opened her mouth and spoke one bastardly phrase after another.

“She’s just some stinking girl from the neighbor’s family. Why care about her so much? Also, when exactly is she going to roll back to her own home?”

“That Qianyuan father of hers who went to join the army, did he die on the battlefield or something? Hiss—Lin Qingwan!”

Lin Qingwan’s gaze was icy as she slapped this person hard across the face.】

When Lin Qingwan sat up from the couch, the chill gathered in her eyes still had not scattered.

Scum.

Not only idle, lazy, and flirtatious everywhere, but even that mouth of hers was disgusting.

Because of the return of that section of memory from her dream, Lin Qingwan’s attitude toward Shang Wumian faintly returned to its original state again.

So much so that even Ah Fu noticed that ever since Sister Qingwan woke up in the morning, her face had been cold the entire time.

She probably did not sleep well, right? Sister Qingwan’s morning temper was so scary…

On the way to school, Ah Fu was rarely so obedient and quiet, afraid she would anger her.

Lin Qingwan was thinking about other matters and did not notice the little girl’s state.

After hesitating over and over, once they arrived at the school, Ah Fu still carefully tugged Lin Qingwan’s hand. “Is Sister Qingwan unhappy? Did you not sleep well? Then after you go back, remember to sleep a little more…”

Only then did Lin Qingwan notice. She immediately softened her expression and answered along with the other party’s words. “Yes, I didn’t sleep very well. Ah Fu, study properly with the teacher at school. After I go back and rest a little, I’ll be fine.”

Seeing that Sister Qingwan had returned to her usual gentle appearance, Ah Fu could not help letting out a breath of relief.

“Okay! Sister Qingwan, hurry back and rest. I’m going into school now~”

After watching Ah Fu enter the school with the other children, Lin Qingwan turned around and put away the few remaining traces of a smile on her face.

For some reason, the memories of her previous life were returning step by step.

Based on the fragmented memories she had obtained now, she could confirm that Shang Wumian was undoubtedly an out-and-out piece of scum.

What she had remembered was only the tip of the iceberg.

But as for what else exactly had happened, Lin Qingwan could not recall it no matter what.

Fortunately, recently, her memories had been returning more frequently.

Perhaps before long, she would be able to fully remember everything that had happened in her previous life.

【Emotion fluctuation 111… Energy value captured.】

When Shang Wumian stood before the stove, 321’s voice sounded faintly in her mind. She was busy thinking about things and did not really pay attention.

【Hi, my dear host. What are you doing?】

Shang Wumian was concise. “Making vegetable packets.”

In order to prevent the instant noodles she made from having only one flavor, Shang Wumian was currently researching how to make several different flavors of vegetable packets.

The system had just captured energy and felt refreshed. In order to prove its own value, it took the initiative to speak.

【This knife looks so difficult to use. It doesn’t fit Chef Shang’s usual standard for knives. I think you need a chopping board, as well as a brand-new set of kitchen utensils.】

Hearing this, Shang Wumian froze slightly. Only then did she remember that in those movies and television dramas, “systems” seemed to be the sort of existence that counted as a golden finger—a cheat-like advantage.

A little interested, she raised her brows lightly. “Can you conjure a set of kitchen tools for me? I want my own set.”

321 refused her mercilessly. “I cannot. Host, please recognize that what you possess is a system, not a giant wishing-well turtle.”

“…” After hearing 321 say it could not give her kitchen tools, Shang Wumian directly ignored it again.

? Once you hear this system can’t produce anything, you ignore me??

321 could not help gnashing its teeth. She really was such a realistic host.